Homonyms Homonyms (Gr. homos “similar” + onoma “name”) are words which have identical sound form and/or spelling but are different in their meaning. E.g.

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Homonyms Homonyms (Gr. homos “similar” + onoma “name”) are words which have identical sound form and/or spelling but are different in their meaning. E.g."— Presentation transcript:

1 HomonymsHomonyms (Gr. homos “similar” + onoma “name”) are words which have identical sound form and/or spelling but are different in their meaning. E.g. bank (n) – a shore (of the river); bank (n) – an institution for receiving, lending, exchanging and safeguarding money

10 Sources of homonyms Split polysemy:spring (n) – “the act of springing, a leap”; spring (n) – “a place where a stream of water comes up out of the earth”;spring (n) – “a season of the year”.The original word: springan - “to jump,” “to leap”

11 The problem of differentiating between polysemy and homonymyspring is representedas two homonyms in V.K. Müller’s and Hornby’s dictionaries: I. a season of the year, II. a) the act of springing, a leap, b) a place where a stream of water comes up out of the earth.as three homonyms in V.D. Arakin’s dictionary.

13 Definition of synonymsSynonyms are words with the same denotation (or denotative component) but different in connotations (or connotative components). (semantic approach)Methods of studying synonyms: definitional, transformational, componential.

16 V.V. Vinogradov’s classification of synonymsAbsolute synonyms coincide in all their shades of meaning and in all their stylistic characteristics: gift - present; homeland – motherland; spirants – fricatives, etc.The phenomenon of absolute synonymy is very rare in the language and very often temporary.

17 Classification of synonyms based on the types of connotationsThe connotation of degree or intensity: to surprise – to astonish – to amaze – to astound; to shout – to yell – to bellow – to roar (the rising degree of intensity)The connotation of duration: to stare – to glare – to gaze – to peep - to peer (a lasting look) - to glance (a brief look)The emotive connotation: to stare (to look in surprise, curiosity) – to glare (in anger, rage or fury) – to gaze (in tenderness, admiration or wonder)

18 Classification of synonyms based on the types of connotationsThe evaluative connotation (conveys the speaker’s attitude towards the referent): well-known – famous – notorious (-) – celebrated (+) (cf.: a notorious criminal, but a celebrated scientist).The causative connotation: to shiver (because of the frost) – to shudder (with fear, horror).The connotation of manner: to stroll – to stride – to pace – to trot – to swagger

19 The synonymic dominant (the dominant synonym)the most general word in the groupbelonging to the basic stock of wordsstylistically neutralhaving high frequency of usage, vast combinability, lacking connotations.expresses the notion common to all the members of the group in the most general way without any additional information.to surprise – to astonish – to amaze – to astound;to shout – to yell – to bellow – to roar;to look – to stare – to glare – to gaze – to peer.

20 Synonyms of a polysemantic wordto close – to finish (e.g. to close a discussion)to close – to shut (e.g. to close the door).

21 EuphemismsEuphemism (Gr. eu “well” + pheme “speaking”) is a substitution for an expression that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the receiver, using instead an agreeable or less offensive expression.E.g. drunk: intoxicated, under the influence (formal), tipsy (colloq.), boiled, tanked, high as a kite (slang), etc.

22 Targets for euphemistic substitutionnotions of death,madness,stupidity,drunkenness,certain physiological processes,crimes, etc.E.g. to die: to expire, to pass away, to depart, to join the silent majority, to kick the bucket, to breathe one’s last, to be gathered to one’s fathers etc.

23 AntonymsAntonyms are words of the same part of speech having common denotative component of meaning but expressing contrasting points of the same notion.wide - narrow, admit - deny, produce -consume, old - young, etc.

24 Antonyms and parts of speechAdjectives: high – low, strong – weak, bitter – sweet.Verbs: to lose – to find, to live – to die, to open – to close.Nouns: friend – enemy, joy – grief, good – evil.

26 Structural classification of antonyms (V. N. KomissarovStructural classification of antonyms (V.N. Komissarov. Dictionary of English Antonyms)antonyms of the same root: e.g. to do – to undo, cheerful - cheerless;(affixes which help in the formation of antonyms: un-, in-, dis-, -less, etc.)antonyms of different roots: e.g. day – night, rich - poor.

27 Semantic classification of antonymsContradictories: dead – alive, singled – married (contradict each other: not dead = alive, not single = married).Contraries are polar members of a gradual opposition which may have intermediate elements: cold – (cool – warm) - hot.